Kolkata, March 21 The Indian Secular Front (ISF) announced that it will contest 33 seats in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, including four constituencies where seat-sharing talks with the Left Front are yet to reach a consensus.
ISF MLA Nawsad Siddiqui said the party has reached an understanding with the CPI(M)-led Left Front on 29 seats, but will also field candidates in Nandigram, Panskura Paschim, Bhagabangola and Murarai.
He said the decision to contest these four seats was taken despite the absence of a final agreement between the two sides, adding that the Left leadership has been informed.
"We hope the Left Front will not nominate candidates from these four constituencies," Siddiqui told reporters on Friday.
Describing the issue as a minor difference, he expressed hope that a consensus would be reached before the nomination process begins.
Of the 33 seats where the ISF will field candidates, eight each are in the South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts.
Siddiqui, a descendant of Muhammad Abu Bakr Siddique, the first Pir of Furfura Sharif, is the lone ISF MLA in the outgoing Assembly. He represents the Bhangar constituency in the South 24 Parganas district.
The elections to the 294-member assembly will be held in two phases, on April 23 and 29. The votes will be counted on May 4.